Science Talking with Babe in Arms

Baby Leo after the Dahlonega Science Festival, March 24, 2018

When my firstborn was a baby, I made the decision to continue with my career rather than to give it up, pause, or hide. Since I was exclusively breastfeeding and she didn't take to the bottle, this meant taking her out to professional events and activities when she was quite young. I had never seen a professional bring their baby to a business event before, although I had noticed their spouses would sometimes show up with kids. Babies in a professional environment are very rare in our culture, from what I've seen in the space industry.

I started small. At just a few weeks old, I took my daughter to two space meeting evening receptions. Encouraged, I took her to a local conference. At five months old, I took her on business travel with me to an out-of-state conference. Although it was challenging at times, I made it work.

Once she started to become more mobile, keeping her contained became too much for me to handle. But by that point, she also became more independent of me, eliminating the need for me to take her everywhere with me.

Taking my baby son with me wasn't even a question when he was born. I knew I could do it. But a new question arose: could I give a talk while holding a baby?

When I was invited to be a panelist on a panel about space travel for the Dahlonega Science Festival in north Georgia, I knew my two-month-old baby was too young to stay at home. I informed the organizers I would be bringing him. I half expected them to rescind their invitation. I was once uninvited to a meeting when I informed the organizer I would be bringing my baby daughter, so my fear wasn't unfounded.

I was surprised - shocked even - when the response back from the Science Festival organizers was not one of distancing but one of welcoming. Sonny went above and beyond to accommodate me by look into baby changing facilities and areas where I could have privacy if I needed it. He even surprised me by gifting us a "future astronaut" onesie after the panel talk. My fellow panelists also welcomed our youngest contributor. I felt at ease and a sense of belonging.

As for my baby, he was easy. He alternated between nursing under a blanket and sleeping in my arms. Not once was he disruptive. Things couldn't have gone better.

A huge thank you to Sonny and the rest of the Dahlonega Science Festival organizers and my fellow panelist for welcoming a working mother and her baby! These small acts encourage me to continue doing what I do, and they hopefully encourage other women to participate in these events, with or without babies.

Speaking on the space travel panel at the Dahlonega Science Festival, March 24, 2018